Ben Barber - WR - 5-10 - 190 - Alexandria/Thomas A. Edison High Likely will enroll January 2009; accounted for 2,432 yards, including 1,321 passing and 1,000 rushing, and 19 touchdowns as a senior; also could play defensive back; recruited by Bud Foster; had offers from Virginia and Maryland. Nick Becton - OT - 6-7 - 280 - Wilmington, N.C./New Hanover High An Associated Press first-team all-state offensive lineman who could play on either side of the line at Tech; recruited by Charley Wiles; considered offers from N.C. State, Penn State, Clemson, Alabama and South Carolina.

SOCCER TEAM HAS TOP START SINCE '88 By defeating Southern Illinois-Edwardsville and the College of Charleston at the Pizza Hut Tribe Classic in Williamsburg this past weekend, Old Dominion's soccer team is off to its best start since 1988. Jimmy Borges' overtime goal sent the Monarchs past SIU-Edwardsville 2-1 Friday. ODU beat Charleston 1-0 the next day. Goalie Brett Phillips and midfielder Steve Chadwick made the all-tournament team. SOCCER NOTES. The Monarchs' home opener at ODU Soccer Stadium Saturday at 7 p.m. against James Madison will be the school's first Colonial Athletic Association game.

Four area players were named to the 16-member South Region team by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association. They are Shareyna Chang of Kecoughtan, Elizabeth Conley of Tabb, Megan Matthews of Jamestown and Denise Wagner of Grafton. Players from Delaware, Maryland, Virgnia, North Carolina, Delaware and the District of Columbia were selected. Two other Virginians are on the team. They are Tori O'Shea of the Collegiate School in Richmond and Kelsey Scherrer of Cape Henry Collegiate School in Virginia Beach.

Smart guy, Rick Chryst. Economics degree from Notre Dame, law degree from Duke -- both with honors. Understands the competitive and business sides of college athletics better than most. But Chryst, the commissioner of the Mid-American Conference, momentarily lost his mind when he drove more than 1,800 miles Labor Day weekend just to watch two MAC football teams. And I told him so when we chatted during the second game of his diabolical doubleheader -- Central Florida at Virginia Tech.

CONTINENTAL TIRE BOWL Boston College (8-3) vs. North Carolina (6-5) WHEN: 1 p.m., ESPN2. THE LINE: UNC by 11/2. ABOUT BOSTON COLLEGE: The Eagles were blasted by Syracuse in the regular-season finale, costing them a BCS berth, so you have to wonder a bit about their mindset. ABOUT UNC: The Tar Heels are outgained by an average of 50.6 yards per game. The defense is bad, but the offense generally has been able to overcome that. THE BUZZ: These teams will be ACC foes starting next season.

Ferguson High defensive back Dominic Banks has committed to the University of Delaware. Banks, 6-foot-1, 175 pounds, also considered North Carolina A&T, Marshall, Elizabeth City State and Northern Illinois. "Delaware had the best mix of academics and athletics from me," said Banks, the cousin of former Warwick High and current Virginia Tech defensive back Antonio Banks. "One of my hosts on my visit there was Tyrone Perry from Warwick, who is a freshman starter on the basketball team.

Kim Heil-Smith lives in some seriously wild country in Minnesota, which is probably why she ran into a bear when she opened the door from her house to her garage a week ago. The bear was a mom and she had her cub along, which is why she took offense at the invasion and went after Heil-Smith, about 25 or 26 stitches worth. That's the sort of thing that doesn't happen every day, so here came the television cameras and microphones from Duluth, the Twin Cities, even "Today" and "Good Morning America."

Landstown's Xavier Boyce made it official Wednesday. He committed to Virginia Tech. Boyce, a 6-foot-4, 200-pounder from Virginia Beach, turned down scholarship offers from Auburn, Rutgers, Clemson, Maryland, Marshall, Northern Illinois (where former Landstown coach Chris Beatty now coaches) and Connecticut. Boyce's cousin is Tech tailback Branden Ore. Landstown coach Steve Canter was a fullback at Tech. Boyce projects as a safety at Tech, but he also could play receiver.

Landstown's Xavier Boyce made it official Wednesday. He committed to Virginia Tech. Boyce, a 6-foot-4, 200-pounder from Virginia Beach, turned down scholarship offers from Auburn, Rutgers, Clemson, Maryland, Marshall, Northern Illinois (where former Landstown coach Chris Beatty now coaches) and Connecticut. Boyce's cousin is Tech tailback Branden Ore. Landstown coach Steve Canter was a fullback at Tech. Boyce projects as a safety at Tech, but he also could play receiver.

Old Dominion's Valdas Vasylius hopes his versatility can help him continue his basketball career. Professional basketball is not only the life Valdas Vasylius dreamed of, it's the life he grew up knowing. His father, Vaclovas, played pro ball back home in Lithuania. "Making a living out of it," Valdas said, "that's been my dream since I was a kid." Now, he knows, is his chance. Like the 63 other players in the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament, Vasylius is hoping this week will be the first step in reaching that dream.

The revolving door that is Hampton University's offensive -coordinator position continues to spin. Pirates football coach Joe Taylor said Monday that Charles Bankins has resigned as the offensive coordinator at HU to become the running-backs coach at the University of Richmond. "I've known (Richmond coach) Dave Clawson for about six years, and I told him I've always looked forward to working with him," Bankins said. "It's also a chance to go to a higher-rated conference (CAA)." Taylor said that he expects to interview an offensive-coordinator candidate within the next few days and hire someone for the position within the next few weeks.

CONTINENTAL TIRE BOWL Boston College (8-3) vs. North Carolina (6-5) WHEN: 1 p.m., ESPN2. THE LINE: UNC by 11/2. ABOUT BOSTON COLLEGE: The Eagles were blasted by Syracuse in the regular-season finale, costing them a BCS berth, so you have to wonder a bit about their mindset. ABOUT UNC: The Tar Heels are outgained by an average of 50.6 yards per game. The defense is bad, but the offense generally has been able to overcome that. THE BUZZ: These teams will be ACC foes starting next season.

The revolving door that is Hampton University's offensive -coordinator position continues to spin. Pirates football coach Joe Taylor said Monday that Charles Bankins has resigned as the offensive coordinator at HU to become the running-backs coach at the University of Richmond. "I've known (Richmond coach) Dave Clawson for about six years, and I told him I've always looked forward to working with him," Bankins said. "It's also a chance to go to a higher-rated conference (CAA)." Taylor said that he expects to interview an offensive-coordinator candidate within the next few days and hire someone for the position within the next few weeks.

There's another new coneflower coming to the market, one that adds a tropical touch to your summer garden. Can there ever be enough coneflowers? Not in my garden. They are foolproof, easy plants to grow, even in a large container. You'll also get the added treat of butterflies visiting you this time of year to sip on coneflowers' nectar. Later, birds can dine on their seeds. The latest coneflower -- called Mango Meadowbrite -- is a genetic mutation of its orange relation, which is called Art's Pride Orange Meadowbrite, according to the Chicago Botanic Garden.

William and Mary took the veteran route to fill its defensive coordinator position, hiring of longtime assistant Jim Pletcher. Pletcher, a 53-year-old native of Newark, Del., began his college coaching career in 1975. He was an assistant at James Madison from 1985-95 under former Dukes coaches Joe Purzycki and Rip Scherer. Pletcher had been defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Cornell for the past two years. "I'm excited about the opportunity to come here," he said.